Develop Your Graduate Recruitment Strategy

The famous quote attributed to Benjamin Franklin may seem like a cliché but it is one hundred percent accurate.!

Failing to put a plan in place for most anything – particularly for your recruitment needs – ensures that you will fall behind your competitors, the industry as a whole, and your own goals.

In a few short months, thousands of university and college students across Ontario will walk through the doors of their school for the final time and be ready and excited to enter the workforce – and NOW is the perfect time to start laying your plans to engage, recruit and retain them. Develop your graduate recruitment strategy by following a few simple steps, take advantage of the key Fall recruiting season, and start the new year with fresh, enthusiastic talent secured to start working with you when Spring arrives.

1. Reach Out To College & University Career Centres NOW!

The Fall months can be somewhat of a warzone when it comes to graduate recruitment – but Career Centres at post-secondary institutions want to hear from every potential employer possible. November/December is the ideal time to connect with those schools in your area who will graduate students the following Spring out of programs directly pertaining to your dealership’s specific needs.

2. Take An Active Role With Students!

Anyone can post a job online or list their graduate employment opportunity with a Career Centre. Take an extra step or two to set yourself apart from others by taking a more active recruitment role. Colleges and universities will happily set up Information Sessions with specific programs or the larger student population, allowing you the opportunity to visit the school and speak directly to your target audience about WHY your dealership should be their employer of choice for a lifelong career.

3. Be Visible!

Post your career opportunities, connect with the Career Centre, visit schools and individual classes to do Information Sessions and make a point to attend as many Career & Job Fairs during the school year as possible. Becoming a regular and visible fixture in the student cohort’s career planning process will secure your dealership a spot in the minds of hundreds of potential future employees. Career & Job Fairs are the ideal venue for promote your business to those students who are actively planning their futures – and those who may not have a clue what’s coming next after graduation.

4. Let TADA Lend A Hand!

TADA’s Career Start education program and CarsAndJobs.com are prominently featured at Career Fairs and on campuses across Ontario, particularly through the Fall and Winter months. We visit schools and talk with students in all areas of the province and are always thrilled to have local dealerships join us as experienced voices of the industry to speak directly with members of those schools’ graduating classes who are planning their next steps. Whether you’re in Ottawa, London, Windor, the GTA, Northern Ontario, or somewhere in between, if you’re interested in taking a more active role in graduate recruitment this year, do not hesitate to contact TADA to make arrangements to join us on a campus near you!

For more information about graduate recruitment strategies or joining the TADA at on-campus events throughout the province, please contact Dave Fraser, Education Coordinator, at davef@tada.ca.